What If - Car Troubles
by Fairedenale
Summary: In which Josh has car troubles and makes Drake walk home for his own safety. Drake may not appreciate it, but realizes just what Josh did for him when things go south. I'm sorry to say, but there are feels in this story and if you cry or feel like it, I apologize, but the idea came into my head and wouldn't leave. Warning: Character death, which is a spoiler for the story, but meh.


Josh has been asking Drake to walk home or find a new ride for a while now, when it is winter. Drake doesn't understand why and it pisses him off.

Josh has been meaning to get the car into the shop, but when he made an appointment, they wouldn't let him in for a few days. But Josh needed to get in right now. He felt like something was wrong. He checked other places, but no one would see him right away. The nearest date was the first place he called. So he asked Drake to find a new way home for a while, not wanting him to be in the car if something happened.

As it turns out, he was right. Something was wrong with the car. The washer fluid line was frayed, but instead of leaking out of the car, it leaked into the engine, causing a malfunction.

Drake comes home, slamming the door shut and freezing. Josh told him to find a new way home again, and no one would take him. He had to walk in a mini blizzard.

"Josh! I need to talk to you! I had to walk through that weather because you wouldn't let me in the car!" Drake yells up at his step-brother. There is no response and Drake frowns.

Then he hears the crying. He moves farther in to see his mother holding his step-dad, both of them crying.

"What's going on?" he asks. His mom looks up at him and Walter pulls his head up, eyes red.

"Honey, why don't you sit down? We need to talk to you about Josh," his mother says.

"What?" Drake asks. Walter looks like he's about to cry again.

"Honey, he isn't here," Audrey says slowly, easing the information onto him. Drake frowns.

"Well, where is he?" he asks. Walter starts shaking and Audrey's eyes start turning watery. Drake is frightened now. "Where is Josh?' he asks. Neither of them answers. Megan walks into the front room. Drake spares her a glance, fear in his eyes. He stares at his parents who are slowly breaking down. "Where is Josh?!"

Walter meets his gaze and takes a shuddery breath. "His car was having problems. He wasn't able to get an appointment until the day after tomorrow. That's why he didn't want you to ride with him." Drake's eyes widen with this information. He knows where this is going. Drake starts shaking his head as Walter continues. "His c-car stopped in the middle of an intersection and the traffic didn't stop in time. He was c-cru-crushed in his seat. Drake, he-he didn't make it," Walter finishes, sobbing. He lays his head in his hands and Audrey wraps her arm around him.

"What?" Drake is shocked, not believing what he hears. His mother looks at him and Megan comes out of the kitchen with a glass of water and the box of tissues.

"Josh is dead, Drake," she affirms. Drake starts shaking his head again, in denial of what he's been told.

"No, he can't be," he says, backing up. His backpack falls to the floor. "He can't be dead," he whispers. Audrey starts crying again and Megan turns to him, wanting to comfort him. Drake shakes his head even more fervently. "No!" he cries, running up the steps, calling Josh's name. Walter lets out a louder sob and Audrey rest her head on his shoulder, right beside her hand. Megan stands there, not knowing what to do.

"JOSH!" Drake cries, bursting into their bedroom. There is no one there. Without his presence, Drake collapses to the floor, acknowledging his best friend is dead. He lies down and cries.

Almost half an hour goes by before Drake stands up, walking over to the couch. Josh's shirt still sits there. Drake picks it up and sits in its place. He smells it and sighs. It still smells like him. Drake opens his eyes and notices a folded piece of paper on his brother's computer.

" _Hey Drake. If you are reading this then I guess I never made it home. I want to apologize for making you find an alternative method of getting home. You see, my car had been having troubles and I wasn't able to get an appointment until Friday. I'm sorry about this, but I didn't want you in the car with me should something happen. Since you are reading this, something did happen. I don't know what happened to me, whether I'm dead or in a coma, or was even in an accident of sorts and lost my memory, just know I would do it again to keep you safe. You are, or were, my best friend, always had been. You may not have liked me in the beginning, but I liked you. Seems it turned out alright in the end. You may have been irritating at times, not doing your homework, getting me into trouble and pissed me off so much that I felt the need to tell you I was done with you, but I need to say that I was never done. I know my life seemed better without you, but I was miserable. I wasn't happy (okay, happy about the rash disappearing, but that's it, I swear!) without you in my life. I couldn't have asked for a better brother, a better friend. I hope you can forgive me for what I have done. The only thing I regret is not telling everyone how much I love them and appreciate their role in my life. Especially you. Sorry. And maybe not realizing sooner that my car needed maintenance. Hardly anyone's fault, but it happened. Hey Drake, I know this is a hard question, but, please bear with me, okay? Remember your life back before you knew me?"_

"Josh, don't do this please…" Drake whispers.

" _Well bro, you're going to have to do it again. Remember me, forget me, I don't care, but you're going to have to live without me. Key word: LIVE. Don't pull anything stupid. Think of mom and dad and Megan. They can't lose another. Please promise you won't. Promise."_

"Promise," Drake answers.

" _Good. Causes chances are I am dead and not in a coma or lost my mind or memory. Love you Drake, always have, always will. Tell everyone I love them too, alright? And that I know it will be hard, but don't cry. Tell mom and dad not to cry."_

Drake nods in response, tears cascading down his face.

" _Thank you for everything. –Josh._

 _P.S. I wrote this on Monday, so if it isn't Monday, then I kept coming home before you and hiding it, only to put it back on my computer each morning after you left. I didn't want you to read it until after. It would ruin the whole purpose. Just saying."_

Drake folds the letter back up and wipes his tears away.

"Drake?" Megan's voice calls from the doorway. Drake lifts a hand to show he is sitting on the floor behind the bed. Megan walks into the room and sits down beside him.

"You want to talk about it?" she asks. Drake takes a deep, shuddering breath and shakes his head. He wraps an arm around Megan's shoulders and pulls her close.

"What about you?" he asks. "Want to talk about it, or something?" Megan shrugs.

"Why did he make you walk?" is the first thing she asks. Drake smiles. He holds up the note, looking at it while he answers.

"He loved me too much," he says. Megan looks at him. "He didn't want me in the car in case something happened. Saved my life," Drake whispers. He sighs and stands up. Drake looks down at his sister and offers his hand. Megan takes it and he leads them out of the room and down the stairs.

"When did he write that?" Megan asks, pointing at the letter.

"Ahead of time," Drake answers, "On Monday." He looks at his sister.

"Let's go remind mom and dad that Josh loves them, especially when they are smiling and not crying."


End file.
